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Heather C. Kirson

The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller

Heather C. Kirson

The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller

Heather C. Kirson

The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller

Heather C. Kirson is a Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Attorney. She specializes in Medicaid Asset Protection Planning,  Special Needs Trusts, VA Benefits, Planning for Disability, Guardianship, Wills, Trusts, Advance Directives, and Probate and Trust Administration.

Heather is a VA Accredited Attorney and is the past Co-Chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s Elder Law Committee. Heather’s legal experience is enhanced by her prior career in Geriatric Care Management. As an associate Geriatric Care Manager, she assisted elders and their families in securing Medicaid Benefits and VA Benefits to pay for long-term care. Heather understands the sensitive issues facing elders and their families. Her experience and understanding enhance her ability to properly analyze your legal issues, and offer you individualized strategic legal advice.

Professional Associations/Recognition

  • Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Attorney
  • Member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar (RPPTL)
  • Member of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar
  • Former Co-Chair of the Medicaid Committee of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar
  • Member of the Executive Council of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar
  • Member of the Legislative Committee of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar
  • Member of the Guardianship Committee of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar
  • Member of the Continuing Education Committee of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar
  • Former Co-Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Orange County Bar Association
  • Member of the Estate, Guardianship & Trust Committee of the Orange County Bar Association
  • Member of the American Bar Association (ABA)
  • Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
  • Member of the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (AFELA)
  • Member of the Florida State Guardianship Association (FSGA)
  • Member of the Best Buddies Advisory Board for Central Florida
  • Named Florida Legal Elite Up & Comer 2011
  • Recognized by the Florida Supreme Court for exceptional pro bono service in 2013
  • Named to the 2017 Orlando Super Lawyers list

Heather earned her undergraduate degree from Rollins College and her law degree from Florida A&M University, College of Law.

Firm Description

The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller devote their professional practice to Elder Law and Trust and Estate matters. This includes representing Elders and Individuals with Special Needs regarding: Florida Medicaid Planning for Long Term Care Florida Wills and Trusts Special Needs Trusts Probate and Trust Administration Guardianship VA Benefits We treat our Clients with compassion and patience and give them the personal attention they deserve.

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What Is an Elder Law Attorney?

Main Office

801 N. Magnolia Avenue
Suite 204
Orlando, FL 32803

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Medicaid 101
What Medicaid Covers

In addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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What Medicaid Covers

In addition to nursing home care, Medicaid may cover home care and some care in an assisted living facility. Coverage in your state may depend on waivers of federal rules.

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How to Qualify for Medicaid

To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, recipients must have limited incomes and no more than $2,000 (in most states). Special rules apply for the home and other assets.

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Medicaid’s Protections for Spouses

Spouses of Medicaid nursing home residents have special protections to keep them from becoming impoverished.

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Medicaid Planning Strategies

Careful planning for potentially devastating long-term care costs can help protect your estate, whether for your spouse or for your children.

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Estate Recovery: Can Medicaid Take My House After I’m Gone?

If steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold.

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Help Qualifying and Paying for Medicaid, Or Avoiding Nursing Home Care

There are ways to handle excess income or assets and still qualify for Medicaid long-term care, and programs that deliver care at home rather than in a nursing home.

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Are Adult Children Responsible for Their Parents’ Care?

Most states have laws on the books making adult children responsible if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves.

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Applying for Medicaid

Applying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.

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Alternatives to Medicaid

Medicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. For those who can afford it and who can qualify for coverage, long-term care insurance is the best alternative to Medicaid.

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ElderLaw 101
Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

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Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.

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Estate Planning

Distinguish the key concepts in estate planning, including the will, the trust, probate, the power of attorney, and how to avoid estate taxes.

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Grandchildren

Learn about grandparents’ visitation rights and how to avoid tax and public benefit issues when making gifts to grandchildren.

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Guardianship/Conservatorship

Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

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Health Care Decisions

We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these.

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Long-Term Care Insurance

Understand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage.

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Medicare

Learn who qualifies for Medicare, what the program covers, all about Medicare Advantage, and how to supplement Medicare’s coverage.

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Retirement Planning

We explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more.

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Senior Living

Find out how to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility, when to fight a discharge, the rights of nursing home residents, all about reverse mortgages, and more.

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Social Security

Get a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI.

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Special Needs Planning

Learn how a special needs trust can preserve assets for a person with disabilities without jeopardizing Medicaid and SSI, and how to plan for when caregivers are gone.

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Veterans Benefits

Explore benefits for older veterans, including the VA’s disability pension benefit, aid and attendance, and long-term care coverage for veterans and surviving spouses.

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